Back to Your Regularly Scheduled Program

well, we just packed up our sleepover gear (including our futon mattress and two quilts) into Roxy, and came home. The ice and snow is melting everywhere, though all the icicles are gone so it's not so loud. Yesterday it sounded like glass was constantly shattering! Anyway, we're back in our quiet re-warmed Top Porch. It's nice to be home, nice to throw clothes into the wash, nice to unpack and re-organize...

But there's no cute sweet toddler shouting "Cat!," trying his hand (mouth?) at beat-boxing, or leaning over very far to kiss you...then falling all the way over... or my favorite, the apple-cheek-splitting grin accompanied by outstretched stubby arms, asking to be picked up for the sheer pleasure of being near you. There's no jostling the kitchen to get food out or into the fridge, no constant washing of dishes, no Bethany to ask a random question, no Glen to laugh heartily at the drop of a hat. There's no host of friends randomly coming & going, no re-arranging of furniture to accomodate them all, and no communally cooked yummies. Basically, we miss the Moores. :)

As we left, Glen told us "be warm and well-fed!" We laughed and said he was allowed to say that, because thanks to him, we were. In the book of James, God rebukes church members who were saying that "sympathetically" to poorer brothers in Christ, and sending them right back out into the cold without any effort to help them. We saw the total OPPOSITE of that for the past 4 days, and it really is faith-strengthening. What would make people inconvenience themselves so willingly, except for a true, soul-level transformation of desires and beliefs!? The Gospel really is the "power of God," and one way I know it is that I stayed warm and well-fed amidst a power outage and bitter cold. Amen!

All right, I've been looking forward to this old tradition for a while now: Valentine-making time!!! My Mom always made such a big, fun deal about this holiday that I can't help it. :) We made valentines for everyone, and they were creative and unique every year. She did a big treasure-hunt for us, too, and we'd get to run around the house finding clues and little treats with a baby-sitter while she & my dad had their romantic Valentine Date. We really thought they were getting the short end of the stick. She kept this up faithfully every single year until I went to college, and even then I drove back a few years when I could, just to be a part of it!! :) I miss all that so much that I make up for it by putting together little care packages for all my siblings, some cousins, and various friends. And at LEAST making Valentines. :) So...I'm off! That was one activity I couldn't really do with a toddler running around; I tend to spread out all over the floor. :)

--Christina-the-wannabe-cupid